Link Between Obesity And Oral Health

Obesity is in correlation to weight and body mass index, otherwise known as BMI, while tooth and oral health affects your gums, teeth, and jaw. While these may seem like two different things, they can often work in coordination and affect one another greatly.

In recent years, the rate of obesity has grown immensely with the advancement of sugary drinks, acidic foods, and more. While this affects the overall health of the person who is obese, it can also have unwanted effects on your oral health.

How Does Obesity Affect Oral Health?

Research in this area shows that there are two ways in which obesity can affect your teeth and oral health. Below are the two major ways in which your oral health can be affected and why:

• Excess Tooth Decay And Loss: Because obesity can affect what you eat and how much you eat it, you run a higher risk of tooth decay and loss. The most common side effect, however, is cavities. Obesity causes people to eat unhealthy foods at a much higher rate. As a result, the blood sugar in your body grows, and you are building up much more plaque on your teeth. Because of this, your teeth will decay much sooner and the enamel will break down much quicker.
• Higher Risk Of Gum Disease: The more you suffer from obesity, the higher the risk you run of getting gum disease. This is often correlated to food intake and the excess of food that you are chewing and eating, just as with tooth decay and loss.

What Can You Do To Prevent Oral Problems?

While obesity can have adverse effects on your teeth or oral health, there are ways to prevent or help tooth decay and gum disease. Below are some of the biggest ways that you can make sure that your oral health stays healthy:

• Have Good Hygiene: Because you are intaking much more food, you need to make sure that you brush your teeth and floss between your teeth at least twice a day. Making sure that you brush your teeth and floss to rid your mouth of unwanted plaque and bacteria can help to keep your teeth and gums strong and protected.
• Get Dental Checkups: Make sure that you get dental checkups every six months at least. This allows your dentist to check for cavities, decay, and do regular cleanings.
• Watch Your Diet: Try to avoid foods that are high in acid and sugar. Foods that are high in both acid and sugar can cause rapid decay and adverse effects on your teeth and gums. They can break down your enamel at a much higher rate, giving your teeth cavities.

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Written By:

Abigail Wise is an aspiring teacher, writer, and editor. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Education with an emphasis in Creative Writing as well as working towards her teaching credential. She hopes to receive her Masters of Arts in English as well as go on to be a full-time teacher, writer, and editor.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

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